The landscape around Winnipeg is influenced by climate, topography, time and
more recently humans. These factors play the major role in what plants and
animals call Winnipeg home, and what communities (habitat types) they form.

Winnipeg is in the Tall Grass Prairie portion of the Prairies Ecozone. The
Prairies are an area that is dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants. The
Tall Grass Prairie is dominated by taller species of grass such as Big Bluestem.
Forest types such as Aspen Forest, Oak Forest and Riverbottom Forest are also
common around Winnipeg. The rivers which run through Winnipeg have helped to
shape the landscape and influence the plants and animals that live here.
Winnipeg is found within the Red River Valley where the Assiniboine River flows
into the Red. The Red River Valley has a finely textured rich black soil, also
known as Chernozemic soil, which is mainly composed of Red River clay sediment
deposit. Although the landscape has fairly good surface drainage it has slow
internal drainage that creates random small depressional wetlands such as
sloughs, ponds and marshes. The soil is high in organic matter from the plant
litter created each year that the prairie grasses covered the land. This
combined with the soil's good moisture holding capacity gives it high
productivity for agriculture.

Manitoba Ecozones (credit Manitoba Conservation)

Manitoba Tall Grass Prairie (credit Living Prairie Museum)

Climate is one of the major influences affecting the natural
communities in Winnipeg and the surrounding area. Winnipeg has a continental
climate with cold winters and hot summers. The temperatures in winter average
-10.5 oC while the average for summer is 15 oC. Extreme
high temperatures of 40 oC and lows of -45 oC are
possible. Precipitation averages 514 mm. The effect of this climate means that
plants and animals must be adapted to high and low temperature extremes, and
must be able to survive in adverse conditions. The precipitation is higher than
many other areas in the Prairies Ecozone. These higher levels of precipitation
are what makes it possible for the species of the Tall Grass Prairie to survive
here.

Dominant tall grasses such as big bluestem and spear grass, and a colourful
array of wildflowers such as aster, goldenrod, prairie crocus and lady's-slipper
all survive in the Tall Grass Prairie. Native plant species have extensive root
systems to assist them in reaching water and nutrients within the soil. These
root systems can survive for many years, each year sending forth their new
growth above the ground in Spring.

The plant communities also have a dramatic effect on animal
species present in the area. In the past Bison, Antelope, Mule Deer, Grizzly
Bears and Wolves were all common around the area that has become Winnipeg. As
the landscape has changed these animals are no longer found wandering the plains
around Winnipeg. With the spread of agriculture into the region and the
restriction on prairie wild fires there has been an increase in the small tree
bluffs located around the area. This transition has made it an ideal habitat for
species such as Whitetail Deer that once only lived further to the southeast.
However, some of the smaller animals from the Tall Grass Prairie can still be
found around Winnipeg. There are Richardson’s ground squirrel, white-tailed
jackrabbit, Red fox and Woodchucks just to name a few. Some bird species include
a variety of hawks such as ferruginous and Swainson’s, owls such as great horned
and screech and other migratory waterfowl such as Canada geese and mallards.